Multi-part fluid chamber and method of manufacturing

ABSTRACT

A coupling system is utilized to form a multi-part rocket engine thrust compartment that maintains inner channels within walls of the thrust compartment for regenerative cooling. The coupling system includes an insert joint arranged between joint faces of a first segment and a second segment. The first segment and the second segment include inner edges that, when jointed together, form an inner wall. The joint insert is installed between the first segment and the second segment after the inner wall is formed and coupled to the first segment and the second segment. The joint faces of the first segment and the second segment include extending feature to form a flow passage along with cavities at least partially defined by the joint insert.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 16/529,733 entitled “MULTI-PART CHAMBER AND METHODOF MANUFACTURING,” filed Aug. 1, 2019 which claims priority to, and thebenefit of, U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/727,452, entitled“MULTI-PART LIQUID PROPELLANT ROCKET ENGINE CHAMBER AND METHOD OFMANUFACTURING”, filed Sep. 5, 2018, the full disclosures of which arehereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties for allpurposes.

BACKGROUND

Pressurized fluid chambers, such as thrust chambers, are often formedfrom machined pieces using conventional manufacturing methods, such asmachining or forging various components. The machining and forgingprocesses can be complex and time consuming, for example, due to thevarious channels formed within the walls of the thrust chambers toenable regenerative cooling. As a result, costs associated with thethrust chambers may be significant, thereby increasing barriers to entryfor new operators in the industry. Moreover, alternative methods ofmanufacturing, such as additive manufacturing, suffer from problemsassociated with the size of the thrust chambers. These non-conventionalmethods have proven ineffective for large components. Furthermore, manymethods of j oining pieces together are unavailable due to thetemperatures, pressures, and operation environment for rocket engines.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various embodiments in accordance with the present disclosure will bedescribed with reference to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a propulsionsystem, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a thrustchamber, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of a wall, inaccordance with embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of a wall, inaccordance with embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of a wallincluding a flow passage, in accordance with embodiments of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 6 illustrates a cross-sectional perspective view of an embodimentof a coupling system, in accordance with embodiments of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 7 illustrates a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a jointface, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 8 illustrates a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a jointinsert, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 9 illustrates a top plan view of an embodiment of a joint insert,in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 10 illustrates a partial side view of an embodiment of a jointinsert, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 11 illustrates a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of acoupling system, in accordance with embodiments of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 12 illustrates a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of acoupling system, in accordance with embodiments of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 13 illustrates a top plan view of an embodiment of a couplingsystem, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 14 illustrates a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of acoupling system, in accordance with embodiments of the presentdisclosure;

FIGS. 15A-15H illustrate isometric view of embodiments of thrustchambers formed using coupling systems, in accordance with embodimentsof the present disclosure;

FIG. 16 illustrates a flow chart of an embodiment of a method forcoupling segments together, in accordance with embodiments of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 17 illustrates a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a thrustchamber including a bi-directional flow path, in accordance withembodiments of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 18 illustrates a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of an inletincluding a bi-directional flow path, in accordance with embodiments ofthe present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Systems and methods in accordance with various embodiments of thepresent disclosure may overcome one or more of the aforementioned andother deficiencies experienced in conventional approaches for formingthrust chambers utilized in rocket engines.

When introducing elements of various embodiments of the presentdisclosure, the articles “a”, “an”, “the”, and “said” are intended tomean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising”,“including”, and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean thatthere may be additional elements other than the listed elements. Anyexamples of operating parameters and/or environmental conditions are notexclusive of other parameters/conditions of the disclosed embodiments.Additionally, it should be understood that references to “oneembodiment”, “an embodiment”, “certain embodiments”, “otherembodiments”, or “various embodiments” of the present disclosure are notintended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additionalembodiments that also incorporate the recited features. Furthermore,reference to terms such as “above”, “below”, “upper”, “lower”, “side”,“front”, “back”, or other terms regarding orientation or direction aremade with reference to the illustrated embodiments and are not intendedto be limiting or exclude other orientations or directions. Furthermore,when describing certain features that may be duplicative betweenmultiple items, the features may be designated with similar referencenumerals followed by a corresponding identifier, such as “A” or “B”.

In various embodiments, a multi-part rocket engine thrust compartment,including channels for regenerative cooling, is formed using partscreated via an additive manufacturing process, such as three-dimensionalprinting. As a result, the thrust compartment may include multipleannular segments that are coupled together via a coupling system, whichmay include one or more inserts arranged between joint faces of thesegments. Various embodiments described herein include an assemblyprocess that may reduce costs associated with forming the thrust chamberdue to the elimination of complex machining and tooling operations forgenerating the thrust chambers.

In various embodiments, the segments include the joint faces that forman opening therebetween, enabling installation of the joint insert tocouple a first segment to a second segment. In various embodiments, thesegments include walls having an inner wall and an outer wall, and as aresult, multiple coupling operations, for example welding operations,are utilized to join the segments together. The opening between thejoint faces may enable a welding operation along the inner wall to forman inner joint that may be inspected and/or repaired prior toinstallation of the joint insert. Thereafter, the joint insert may beinstalled within the opening and the outer wall may be coupled togethervia a connection process, such as a welding operation.

In various embodiments, the joint faces form one or more cavities tocollect debris or the like from the welding operation utilized to formthe outer joints. The cavities may be arranged radially inward from therespective outer joints. Accordingly, the cavities may catch debris toblock the debris from entering an annular flow passaged formed by theinner wall and the joint insert. Accordingly, in embodiments where thewalls include channels to enable regenerative cooling, the annular flowpassage enables flow between channels of adjacent segments.

Various embodiments described herein may refer to thrust chambers androcket engines. However, it should be appreciated that the systems andmethods described may be used in a variety of industries and are notlimited to use with rocket engines. For example, the systems and methodsdescribed herein may be utilized in a variety of industries wheretubular or annular components are coupled together, such as oil and gasoperations, power generation, and the like. Furthermore, the systems andmethods described herein may include a variety of different materials,which may be particularly selected based on operating conditions. Forexample, in aerospace applications, materials may include metals andmetal alloys such as high nickel alloys (e.g., Inconel), aluminumalloys, composite materials, and the like. Additionally, oil and gasand/or power generation may include carbon steels, stainless steels,nickel alloys, and the like. Furthermore, in certain embodiments, thematerials may also include coatings, clad liners, and the like.

Various embodiments may refer to manufacturing component utilizingadditive manufacturing techniques. However, it should be appreciatedthat manufacturing a component may refer to one or more pieces of acomponent. For example, additive manufacturing may be utilized to addfeatures to a forged or traditionally manufactured component.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a propulsion system100. In the illustrated embodiment, a thrust chamber 102 includes aregenerative cooling system 104 extending through walls 106 of thethrust chamber 102. As will be described below, the regenerative coolingsystem 104 comprises various channels within the walls 106 of the thrustchamber 102 to enable a working fluid 108 (e.g., a liquid, a gas, asolid, or a combination thereof) to cool the walls 106 of the thrustchamber 102 while also heating the working fluid 108 prior to injectioninto the thrust chamber 102. In various embodiments, the working fluid108 is a fuel from a fuel supply, such as a Rocket Propellant (e.g.,RP-1). RP-1 may refer to a highly refined form of kerosene, as would beknown by one skilled in the art. However, it should be appreciated thatother types of fuel may also be utilized and that various embodimentsare not limited to the use of RP-1.

In the illustrated embodiment, the working fluid 108 is directed towardthe thrust chamber 102 via a turbopump assembly 110. The working fluid108 flows through the regenerative cooling system 104, simultaneouslycooling the walls 106 and also being heated before injection into thethrust chamber 102. Upon or near injection, the working fluid 108 ismixed with an oxidizer 112, such as liquid oxygen (LOX). As illustrated,the oxidizer 112 may also be directed toward the thrust chamber 102 viathe turbopump assembly 110. As a result, the mixing of the fuel andoxygen facilitates propulsion of the rocket as the hot gases areexpelled out of the thrust chamber 102.

As described above, in various embodiments the regenerative coolingsystem 104 is utilized to cool the walls 106 of the thrust chamber 102.The regenerative cooling system 104 may include channels or passagesformed within the walls 106 and extending along a length 114 of thethrust chamber 102. The channels or passages may be substantiallylongitudinal, relative to an axis 116 of the thrust chamber 102, suchthat the channels are substantially aligned with the axis 116. However,it should be appreciated that the channels may also bend or conform tothe shape of the walls 106, for example, at a reduced diameter portion118 of the thrust chamber 102. In certain embodiments, the channels maybe separated and arranged in a parallel, circumferential arrangementabout the thrust chamber. However, in certain embodiments, the channelsmay be formed in an annular or helically swept arrangement such that thechannels extend along the axis 116 and revolve about the axis 116.

Manufacturing of the thrust chamber 102 may be challenging due to thematerials forming the thrust chamber 102 (e.g., high temperature alloys,such as Inconel) and also the arrangement of the channels within thethrust chamber 102. Typically, the components may be cast or otherwisemachined, which may be expensive and utilize complex tooling and dies inorder to form the channels. Moreover, as noted above, non-conventionaltechniques such as additive manufacturing fail to produce componentsthat are large enough for commercial needs. For example, many additivemanufacturing processes may be limited to sizes of approximately 1.5cubic feet, which is too small for commercial applications.Additionally, obtaining an additive manufacturing machine, or hiring athird party to generate large parts using an additive manufacturingmachine, may be prohibitively expensive. Also, warpage and otherfailures are more common as components made using additive manufacturingprocesses become larger. As a result, costs may further be added forreworking material that is below a threshold level of acceptability.Furthermore, additive manufacturing processes may not be able to performcertain forms of manufacturing with high accuracy. For example, brazinga component to a machine forging may be difficult and result in errorsor damage to the parts. Accordingly, embodiments of the presentdisclosure are directed toward systems and methods for forming thrustchambers 102 utilizing various subsections that may be joined together,for example via a welding or other coupling technique.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a thrust chamber 200including various joint planes 202 for segmenting the thrust chamber 200into subsections. It should be appreciated that the joint planes 202A,202B are for illustrative purposes only and that, in variousembodiments, the joint planes 202A, 202B may be arranged at differentlocations. Moreover, there may be more or fewer joint planes 202. In theembodiment illustrated in FIG. 2 , the two joint planes 202A, 202B forma first segment 204, a second segment 206, and a third segment 208.However, it should be appreciated that a different number of jointplanes 202 will lead to a different number of segments. As will bedescribed below, during assembly the channels that extend through thewalls 106 of the thrust chamber 200 are aligned to facilitate flowthrough the walls 106 to enable regenerative cooling. Accordingly,techniques for joining the segments 204, 206, 208 enable continuous flowthrough the channels without blocking or otherwise damaging thechannels.

The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2 further includes a longitudinaljoint plane 210 that forms a first longitudinal segment 212 and a secondlongitudinal segment 214. However it should be appreciated that adifferent number of longitudinal joint planes 210 may lead to adifferent number of longitudinal segments 212, 214. In variousembodiments, the thrust chamber 200 may be manufactured in a petalconfiguration utilizing both longitudinal segments (e.g., havingvertical seams) and radial segments (e.g., having circumferentialseams).

FIGS. 3 and 4 are perspective views of embodiments of a portion of athrust chamber 300 including an inner wall 302 and an outer wall 304. Itshould be appreciated that the illustrated portion in FIG. 3 is arrangedas a flat plate for illustrative purposes and that, in variousembodiments, the portion may be curved, such as in FIG. 4 . In variousembodiments, channels 306 are formed between the inner wall 302 and theouter wall 304 via dividers 308 that extend between the inner wall 302and the outer wall 304. In the illustrated embodiment, the dividers 308include respective curved ends 310. As will be appreciated, the curveends 310 enable portions of the dividers 308 to be arranged at adistance 312 away from a joint edge 314, where heat may be locatedduring a joining operation, such as welding. Moreover, the arrangementof the dividers 308 may facilitate flow between different flow channels,as will be described below. In various embodiments, the inner wall 302and the outer wall 304 may be coupled to a mating portion of the thrustchamber, for example via welds arranged along the inner wall 302 and theouter wall 304. As a result, segments may be joined together while stillenabling passage of the working fluid through the channels 306.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional perspective view of an embodiment of athrust chamber 500 including a first segment 502 coupled to a secondsegment 504 at a joint 506. In various embodiments, flow channels 508are arranged between the inner wall 510 and the outer wall 512, and mayextend circumferentially about the thrust chamber 500. It should beappreciated that a width of the flow channels 508 may not be equal, andthat various channels may have different widths. Moreover, theillustrated dividers 514 forming the flow channels 508 may not beequally spaced or shaped the same. For example, various dividers 514 maybe thicker or thinner. Moreover, various dividers 514 may not includethe curved ends 516.

The joint 506 between the first segment 502 and the second segment 506is illustrated as including an inner joint 518 at the inner walls 510and an outer joint 520 at the outer walls 510. Moreover, an annular flowarea 522 is arranged along the joint 506 to facilitate flow of theworking fluid through the channels 508. In certain embodiments, an innerweld along the inner weld joint 518 may be challenging to form, as theouter wall 512 may block access to the inner joint 518. Moreover, athickness 524 may be too small to provide access to the inner joint 518via an alternative route (e.g., perpendicular to the dividers 514).Additionally, cleaning or inspecting the weld afterward (e.g., removingdebris, smoothing the cap, performing penetration testing, x-raying,etc.) may also be difficult to achieve in the small area. Debris orother damage along the interior may block or reduce flow through thechannels 508, which may reduce cooling along the thrust chamber 500.Accordingly, embodiments of the present disclosure may include a jointinsert that extends circumferentially about the thrust chamber 500 atthe joint 506. The joint insert may be arranged along the outer joint520 to facilitate the connection between the first segment 502 and thesecond segment 504, while reducing the likelihood of damage to interiorportions of the wall, which may reduce flow or otherwise reduce theeffectiveness of the regenerative cooling.

In various embodiments, an annular flow passage 526 is formed at thejoint 506 to facilitate flow of the working fluid between the flowchannels 508 of the adjacent segments 502, 504. In various embodiments,the annular flow passage 526 may facilitate mixing of the working fluid,which may provide improved heat transfer capabilities. For example,mixing devices, such as turbulent flow paths or the like, may beincluded. The annular flow passage 526 may enable fluid flow in adirection substantially parallel to the dividers 514 and in a directionsubstantially perpendicular to the dividers 514 (e.g., to cross betweendifferent channels 508). Accordingly, regenerative cooling capabilitiesare maintained, even with multi-segment construction of the thrustchamber 500.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional perspective view of an embodiment of acoupling system 600 to join a first segment 602 to a second segment 604.The illustrated coupling system 600 includes a joint insert 606 (e.g.,weld ring) that is arranged within an opening 608 (e.g., cavity) formedbetween the first segment 602 and the second segment 604. In variousembodiments, the opening 608 is an annular opening, for example, wherethe segments 602, 604 are annular components. The joint insert 606couples the first segment 602 to the second segment 604 whilemaintaining an annular flow passage 610 to enable the working fluid toflow within the channels (not pictured). The working flow may flowsubstantially perpendicular to the annular flow passage 610 and/orparallel to the annular flow passage 610, as described with respect toFIG. 5 . It should be appreciated that various dimensions describedherein, may be particularly selected based on various factors such asoperation conditions, design parameters, tooling constraints, and thelike, and accordingly are not intended to limit the disclosure.

In various embodiments, each segment 602, 604 includes a joint face612A, 612B (which may individually be referred to as 612 for claritywhen discussing features common to both joint faces 612A, 612B) having aprofile including one or more features to facilitate coupling betweenthe segment 602, 604. A respective inner edge 614A, 614B (which mayindividually be referred to as 614 for clarity when discussing featurescommon to both inner edges 614A, 614B) extends outwardly from therespective joint faces 612A, 612B (e.g., longitudinally, relative to aflow of the working fluid). The respective inner edges 614A, 614B mateto form an inner joint 616 (e.g., to form the inner wall describedabove). It should be appreciated that “inner” in this instance refers toa radially inward joint relative to an outer circumference of the thrustchamber. The illustrated inner joint 616 is formed by square inner edges614A, 614B. However, it should be appreciated that in other embodimentsthe inner edges 614A, 614B may be single-bevel, double-bevel, single-J,double-J, single-V, double-V, single-U, double-U, or any otherreasonable shape. Moreover, the inner edges 614A, 614B may not be thesame shape. For example, the inner edge 614A may have a single-bevelwhile the inner edge 614B may be square. In operation, the inner joint616 may couple the first segment 602 to the second segment 604 via aweld, which may be a full-penetration weld. Various welding processesmay be used, such as electron beam welding, tungsten inert gas welding,metal inert gas welding, arc welding, shielded metal arc welding,flux-cored arc welding, metal inert gas welding and the like.Furthermore, other coupling operations may be utilized, such asadhesives, fasteners, and the like. Advantageously, the joint may becleaned up after the welding process (e.g., remove debris, grind theweld cap, etc.) and may also be inspected prior to installation of thejoint insert 606 due to the access provided by the opening 608.

Moving radially outward from the inner joint 616, respective lips 618A,618B (which may individually be referred to as 618 for clarity whendiscussing features common to both lips 618A, 618B) are formed on therespective joint faces 612A, 612B. As illustrated, the lips 618A, 618Bdo not extend as longitudinally far as the inner edges 614A, 614B. Theillustrated lips 618A, 618B, in part with the inner edges 614A, 614B,form at least a portion of the annular flow passage 610 to facilitatepassage of the working fluid between the segments 602, 604 (e.g.,between the non-illustrated channels of the segments 602, 604). Asillustrated, a length 620 between the lip 618A, 618B is less than alength 622 of the annular flow passage 610. Accordingly, as will bedescribed below, the flow passage 610 is also partially formed by thejoint insert 606.

In various embodiments, a cavity 624A, 624B (which may individually bereferred to as 624 for clarity when discussing features common to bothcavities 624A, 624B) are formed along the respective joint faces 612A,612B. The cavity 624A is formed at least partially by the lip 618A (asis the cavity 624B with respect to the lip 618B) and also by a steppedprofile that will be described below. Each respective cavity 624A, 624Bextends longitudinally into the body of the respective segments 602,604. As a result, a void space is formed to collect debris duringwelding operations (or other coupling operations) that couple the jointinsert 606 to the segments 602, 604. The illustrated cavity 624A has afirst length 626, a second length 628, and a height 630 that form atleast a portion of the profile of the joint face 612A. The illustratedfirst length 626 is less than the illustrated second length 628, in theillustrated embodiment, however it should be appreciated that in otherembodiments the first length 626 may be greater than or equal to thesecond length 628. The illustrated second length 628 also includes arounded edge 632 forming at least a portion of the lip 618. It should beappreciated that the rounded edge 632 is a non-limiting example and thatthe edge 632 may also be straight, angled, or any other reasonableshape.

As described above, the cavities 624A, 624B are formed to collectdebris. In welding operations, the weld metal may flow through one ormore gaps that are arranged between the components that are being joinedtogether. As a result, the consumable material utilized in the joiningprocess may extend through the material to form debris or an extensionof material on the back side of the weld. This material, if it were toextend into the annular flow passage 610, could potentially block orhinder flow of the working fluid through the channels. This couldpotentially reduce the cooling effectiveness of the working fluid, whichwould be undesirable. In welding operations where each side may beinspected, the additional material may be ground or scraped off.However, due to the limited access provided in the embodiments describedherein, the cavities 624A, 624B may be utilized to capture the excessmaterial or debris, thereby eliminating steps for cleaning or reshapingthe back side of the connection joint.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6 , a stepped profile 634 isarranged radially outward from the cavity 624. The stepped profileincludes a shoulder 636 that extends longitudinally inward by a length638. In the illustrated embodiment, the length 638 of the shoulder 636is less than the first length 626 of the cavity 624. As will bedescribed, the additional size of the first length 626 may protectvarious weld joint from potential cracking. The stepped profile includesa height 640 proximate the shoulder 636, the height 640 extends radiallyinward toward the inner joint 616. The size of the height 640 may beparticularly selected to maintain the annular flow passage 610. Forexample, a deeper height 640 may reduce the cross section of the passage610 while a shallower height 640 may increase the cross section.

The coupling system 600 further includes the joint insert 606, which ispositioned within the opening 608 such that an extension 642 of thejoint insert 606 contacts the shoulder 636, thereby blocking furtherinward radial movement of the joint insert 606. As illustrated, theextension 642 forms at least a portion of the joint insert profile. Theextension 642 includes a length 644 that is substantially equal to thelength 638 of the shoulder 636. Furthermore, the extension 642 includesa height 646 that is substantially equal to the height 640 of theshoulder 636. Accordingly, the mating relationship between the jointinsert 606 and the joint faces 612A, 612B secures the joint insert 606from extending into the annular flow passage 610.

Further illustrated in FIG. 6 is a lower portion 648 of the joint insert606 that extends from the stepped profile 634 toward the annular flowpassage 610. In the illustrated embodiment, the lower portion 648includes a length 650 that is substantially equal to the length 620. Itshould be appreciated that, in the illustrated embodiment, the jointinsert 606 is not in a sealing relationship with the lip 618A, 618B.However, in other embodiments, a sealing relationship may be formed. Theillustrated lower portion 648 forms at least a portion of the cavity624, thereby developing an area to receive excess material or debriswhen the joint insert 606 is coupled to the segments 602, 604, forexample, via a welding operation such as electron beam welding. In thismanner, the first and second segments 604, 606 may be joined togetherwhile maintaining paths for the flow of fluid through the channels.

In various embodiments, the first segment 602 is coupled to the secondsegment 604 via one or more welding operations and the joint insert 606.For example, the first segment 602 is arranged proximate the secondsegment 604 such that their respective channels are aligned and theinner edges 614A, 614B are positioned proximate one another. The innerjoint 616 may be formed, for example via electron beam welding, andsubsequently inspected and/or cleaned (e.g., ground, finished, etc.)Thereafter, the joint insert 606 may be positioned within the opening608. The extension 642 may contact the shoulder 636, thereby blockingfurther movement of the joint insert 606 and also providing anindication that the joint insert 606 is positioned within the opening608. Next, a first joint 652 may be formed at the junction between thejoint insert 606 and the first segment 602. Debris that may form duringthe welding operation may be captured by the cavity 624, and as aresult, the “blind” welding operation may be performed withoutinspecting the reverse end to determine whether weld metal, shavings, orthe like have formed. Moreover, the tight fit between the length 650 andthe length 620 blocks debris from flowing into the annular flow passage610. Additionally, a second joint 654 may be formed at the junctionbetween the joint insert 606 and the second segment 604. As a result,the first segment 602 and the second segment 604 may be joined together,while enabling flow along the channels, thereby facilitatingconstruction of the thrust chamber using smaller segments that may beformed using additive manufacturing techniques.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a joint face 700that may be arranged on an end of a segment used to form a thrustchamber. However, as described above, embodiments of the presentdisclosure are not limited to aerospace or rocket engines, and may beutilized across a variety of industries. As described with respect toFIG. 6 , the joint face 700 includes a profile 702 that, when arrangedproximate a mirrored profile, forms an opening to enable installation ofa joint insert. It should be appreciated that in various embodiments thejoint faces 700 for adjacent segments may not include mirrored profiles,which may provide an indication as to the ordering or arrangement of thesegments. The illustrated joint face 700 includes an inner edge 704,which is arranged radially inward from an outer circumference 706 of thesegment, for example when the segment is an annular. The inner edgeincludes a length 708 and forms at least a portion of an annular flowpassage 710.

In various embodiments, a lip 712 extends from the joint face 700 tofrom at least a portion of the annular flow passage 710. The illustratedlip 712 extends a length 714, the length 714 being shorter than thelength 708 in the illustrated embodiment. The illustrated lip 712further forms at least a portion of a cavity 716. The cavity 716includes a first length 718, a second length 720, and a height 722. Asdescribed above, the cavity 716 may be arranged to capture debris orother material generated during the welding procedure to couple thejoint insert to the first and second segments. The illustrated jointface 700 further includes a stepped profile 724 that forms a shoulder726. The illustrated shoulder has a length 728 and a height 730. Whilethe shoulder 726 is illustrated as being straight to squared off, itshould be appreciated that various different shapes may be utilized. Forexample, the shoulder 726 may include a slanted edge, a curved edge, orthe like. Moreover, the mating component of the joint insert may alsoinclude various different shapes for the extension that mates to theshoulder 726. As will be appreciated, the joint face 700 may be formedduring an additive manufacturing process, thereby enabling variousdifferent configurations.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a joint insert 800.In various embodiments, the joint insert 800 may be utilized to coupledifferent segments together, for example, via the segments that includethe joint face 700 illustrated in FIG. 7 . In the illustratedembodiment, the joint insert 800 includes an extension 802 having alength 804 and a height 806. Moreover, in various embodiments, the jointinsert 800 includes a lower portion 808. The lower portion 808 has aheight 810 that may be particularly selected to adjust a cross-sectionalarea of an annular flow passage, as described above. The joint insert800 further includes a first length 812, a second length 814, and athird length 816 that forms a stepped outer profile. The first length812 may correspond to an outer diameter of the joint insert 800 and maybe substantially equal to the opening formed between adjacent segments.The second length 814 may be smaller than the first length 812, therebyforming at least a portion of the extension 802 that is seated on theshoulder of the joint face. Additionally, the third length 816 may besubstantially equal to a gap or space between lips of the joint face,thereby forming at least a portion of the cavities described above. Invarious embodiments, the outer profile of the joint insert 800 includesa first transition 818 and a second transition 820. While theillustrated first transition 818 is substantially equal and theillustrated second transition 820 is curved, it should be appreciatedthat the transitions may include any reasonable shape. The shapes of thetransitions 818, 820 may be particularly selected to accommodateoperating conditions. In various embodiments, the joint insert 800 is anannular piece. As will be described below, the joint insert 800 may besplit to facilitate installation.

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of an embodiment of the joint insert 800. Asillustrated, the joint insert 800 includes a circumference 900 and isgenerally ring shaped having an inner diameter 902 and an outer diameter904. In various embodiments, the joint insert 800 is arranged on otherannular components where the inner diameter 902 is less than an outerdiameter of the components. Accordingly, the joint insert 800 may besplit to facilitate installation. The illustrated embodiment includestwo splitting locations 906, 908. However, it should be appreciated thatthe joint insert 800 may be split into any number of pieces and have anynumber of splitting locations. After installation about the components,the joint insert 800 may be reconnected by welding at the splittinglocations 906, 908. However, it should be appreciated that othercoupling mechanisms may be utilized. For example, the splittinglocations 906, 908 may include an eyelet extension to receive a bolt orother fastener.

FIG. 10 is a partial detailed view of an embodiment of the joint insert800 at the splitting location 906. As described above, in variousembodiments the joint insert 800 may be split to facilitateinstallation. When the joint insert 800 is installed, the joint insert800 may be rejoined at the splitting location, for example via a weldingprocess. In the illustrated embodiment, a recess 1000 is formedproximate the splitting location to capture debris or additionalmaterials formed during the welding process. The illustrated recess 1000is circular, and may be formed by drilling into the joint insert 800,for example, prior to splitting the joint insert. As a result, debrismay collect within the recess 1000, blocking the debris frominfiltrating other areas. The illustrated recess is formed between theinner diameter 902 and the outer diameter 904. In various embodiments,the recess 1000 may be positioned on the lower portion 808, for example,below the extension 802.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a coupling system1100 including a first segment 1102 coupled to a second segment 1104. Itshould be appreciated that the coupling system 1100 illustrated in FIG.11 shares certain features with the coupling system 600 of FIG. 6 , andas a result, details of certain features will not be repeated. In theillustrated embodiment, a joint insert 1106 extends into an opening 1108formed between joint faces 1110 of the segment 1102, 1104. The jointinsert 1106, in combination with the joint faces 1110A, 1110B form anannular flow passage 1112.

The annular flow passage 1112 in the illustrated embodiment is arrangedproximate dividers 1114A, 1114B that include slanted edges 1116A, 1116B.The slanted edges 1116A, 1116B form reduced cross-sectional areas 1118A,1118B when compared to flow areas 1120A, 1120B of channel 1122A, 1122Bformed by the dividers 1114A, 1114B. In various embodiments, the reducedcross-sectional areas 1118A, 1118B facilitate constant (e.g., nearconstant, substantially constant) flow velocities through the channels1122A, 1122B. It should be appreciated that, in various embodiments, theslanted edges 1116A, 1116B may also be curved or arcuate or any othershape that facilitates the formation of the reduced cross-sectionalareas 1118A, 1118B.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional perspective view of an embodiment of acoupling system 1200 in which the cavities 624 are removed. Asillustrated, a first segment 1202 is arranged proximate a second segment1204 with a joint insert 1206 arranged within an opening 1208 formedbetween joint faces 1210A, 1210B (which may individually be referred toas 1210 for clarity when discussing features common to both joint faces1210A, 1210B) of the segments 1202, 1204. The illustrated joint insert1206 includes an extension 1212 that is arranged on a shoulder 1214A,1214B of the joint faces 1210A, 1210B, thereby holding the joint insert1206 in place. As a result, an annular flow passage 1216 is formedbetween an inner edge 1218A, 1218B of the segments 1202, 1204 and thejoint insert 1206. In operation, a joint 1220 may be formed between theinner edges 1218A, 1218B, for example, using a welding process.Thereafter, the joint insert 1206 may be installed and coupled to thefirst and second segments 1202, 1204 via a welding process.

As described herein, in various embodiments the thrust chambers may bemanufactured in a petal configuration utilizing segments having bothlongitudinal and circumferential seams. FIG. 13 is a top plan sectionalview of an embodiment of a longitudinal segment 1300. The segment 1300includes a joint face 1302 that is arranged substantially parallel tothe illustrated channels 1304 formed by dividers 1306. As will bedescribed below, in various embodiments a joint insert may be arrangedbetween adjacent joint faces of longitudinal segments to couple theadjacent segments together along a longitudinal seam.

FIG. 14 is cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a coupling system1400 for joining a first segment 1404 to a second segment 1402 along alongitudinal seam. It should be appreciated that the coupling system1400 may share similarities with other coupling systems describedherein, such as the coupling system 600 illustrated in FIG. 6 , and assuch certain features may not be described with as much detail forclarity and conciseness. The illustrated coupling system 1400 includes ajoint insert 1406 (e.g., weld ring) that is arranged within an opening1408 (e.g., cavity) formed between the first segment 1402 and the secondsegment 1404, which may be longitudinal segments are described in FIG. 2. In various embodiments, the opening 1408 is a longitudinal opening,for example, where the segments 1402, 1404 are annular components thatare jointed along a vertical seam. The joint insert 1406 couples thefirst segment 1402 to the second segment 1404 while maintaining alongitudinal flow passage 1410 to enable the working fluid to flowsubstantially parallel to the channels 1412, thereby maintaining thecooling effect of the working fluid. It should be appreciated that thesize of the longitudinal flow passage 1410 is for illustrate purposesonly, and in various embodiments, the longitudinal flow passage 1410 maybe substantially the same size as the channels 1412.

In various embodiments, each segment 1402, 1404 includes a respectivejoint face 1414A, 1414B (which may individually be referred to as 1414for clarity when discussing features common to both joint faces 1414A,1414B) having a profile including one or more features to facilitatecoupling between the segment 1402, 1404. An inner edge 1416A extendsoutwardly from the joint face 1414A (e.g., radially, relative to a flowof the working fluid) in a similar manner as the inner edge 1416B andthe joint face 1414B. The respective inner edges 1416A, 1416B mate toform an inner joint 1418 (e.g., to form the inner wall described above).It should be appreciated that “inner” in this instance refers to aradially inward joint relative to an outer circumference of the thrustchamber, as described above. The illustrated inner joint 1418 is formedby square inner edges 1416A, 1416B. However, as noted above, othershapes may be used and inner edges 1416A, 1416B may not be the sameshape. In operation, the inner joint 1418 may couple the first segment1402 to the second segment 1404 via a weld, as noted above.

A lip 1420A is formed on the joint face 1414A, with a lip 1420B formedon the joint face 1414B. As illustrated, the lips 1420A, 1420B does notextend as laterally far from the joint faces 1414A, 1414B as the inneredges 1416A, 1416B, respectively. The illustrated lips 1420A, 1420B, inpart with the inner edges 1416A, 1416B, form at least a portion of thelongitudinal flow passage 1410 to facilitate passage of the workingfluid for cooling. It should be appreciated that, in variousembodiments, several longitudinal segments may be joined together, andin embodiments, the longitudinal seams may not be aligned. As a result,the longitudinal flow passages 1410 may also align with channels 1412 ofother segments. Moreover, in various embodiments, the annular flowpassage described above may be utilized at the ends of the longitudinalsegments to facilitate flow of the working fluid.

In various embodiments, a cavity 1422A, 1422B (which may individually bereferred to as 1422 for clarity when discussing features common to bothcavities 1422A, 1422B) is formed along the joint face 1414A, 1414B. Thecavities 1422A, 1422B are formed at least partially by the respectivelips 1420A, 1420B and also by a stepped profile, such as the profiledescribed above. Each respective cavity 1422A, 1422B extends laterallyinto the body of the respective segments 1402, 1404. As a result, a voidspace is formed to collect debris during welding operations (or othercoupling operations) that couple the joint insert 1406 to the segments1402, 1404. As noted above, various dimensions of the cavities 1422A,1422B may be adjusted for particular purposes. For example, a topportion of the cavities 1422A, 1422B may extend beyond a weld seam toreduce the likelihood of cracking.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 14 , a respective stepped profile1424A, 1424B is arranged radially outward from the respective cavity1422A, 1422B. The stepped profile 1424A, 1424B, includes a shoulder 1426for receiving and supporting the joint insert 1406, which is positionedwithin the opening 1408 such that an extension 1428 of the joint insert1406 contacts the shoulder 1426, thereby blocking further inward radialmovement of the joint insert 1406. As illustrated, the extension 1428forms at least a portion of the joint insert profile.

In various embodiments, the first segment 1402 is coupled to the secondsegment 1404 via one or more welding operations and the joint insert1406. For example, the first segment 1402 is arranged proximate thesecond segment 1404 such that the inner edges 1416A, 1416B arepositioned proximate one another. The inner joint 1418 may be formed,for example via electron beam welding, and subsequently inspected and/orcleaned (e.g., ground, finished, etc.) Thereafter, the joint insert 1406may be positioned within the opening 1408. The extension 1428 maycontact the shoulder 1426, thereby blocking further movement of thejoint insert 1406 and also providing an indication that the joint insert1406 is positioned within the opening 1408. Next, a joint 1430 may beformed at the junction between the joint insert 1406 and the firstsegment 1402. Debris that may form during the welding operation may becaptured by the cavities 1422A, 1422B, and as a result, the “blind”welding operation may be performed without inspecting the reverse end todetermine whether weld metal, shavings, or the like have formed.Additionally, a second joint 1432 may be formed at the junction betweenthe joint insert 1406 and the second segment 1404. As a result, thefirst segment 1402 and the second segment 1404 may be joined together,while enabling flow along the channels, thereby facilitatingconstruction of the thrust chamber using smaller segments that may beformed using additive manufacturing techniques.

FIGS. 15A-C are isometric views of thrust chambers 1500, 1502, 1504manufactured utilizing the systems and methods described herein in avariety of configurations. For example, the thrust chamber 1500 includesa first component 1506 and a second component 1508 coupled together viaa joint 1510. The illustrated joint is a circumferential joint, and maybe formed utilizing the coupling system 600 illustrated in FIG. 6 ,among others.

FIG. 15B illustrates the thrust chamber 1502 formed via in a petalconfiguration that includes four joints 1512, 1514, 1516, 1518. Theillustrated joints are longitudinal joints and may be formed utilizingthe coupling system 1400 illustrated in FIG. 14 , among others. As aresult, four different joints may be used to form one or more portionsof the first component 1506 and/or the second component 1508.

FIG. 15C illustrates the thrust chamber 1504 formed via a combination ofthe circumferential joint and the petal configuration. That is, thethrust chamber 1504 includes both longitudinal joints 1512, 1514, 1516,1518 and a circumferential joint 1510. Accordingly, various differentjoint configurations may be utilized together to form a variety ofdifferent components. Advantageously the inclusion of different jointconfigurations enables smaller component manufacturing, which may beaccomplished using additive manufacturing processes, without thedrawbacks and problems described herein.

FIGS. 15D-15H are isometric views of an embodiment of the thrust chamber1500, 1502, 1504 formed utilizing embodiments of the present disclosure.In the illustrated embodiment, the thrust chamber 1500, 1502, 1504 isformed by a combustion chamber 1520, which may be printed as describedabove, a nozzle 1522, which may also be printed, and a plurality ofjoint inserts 1524, 1526, 1528 (e.g., weld rings or split rings). Asdescribed in detail above, in various embodiments the components may beformed from an additive manufacturing process, such as athree-dimensional printing process, and various components may bemachined or otherwise prepared, for assembly into the illustrated thrustchamber 1500, 1502, 1504. In certain embodiments, the thrust chamber1500, 1502, 1504 may include one or more joints, such as the joints(e.g., joint 506, 1510, 1512, etc.) described above which may enablecircumferential and/or longitudinal coupling between components.

The illustrated embodiments include the combustion chamber 1520illustrated in FIG. 15D. It should be appreciated that the combustionchamber 1520 may be printed as an entire chamber or in sectionsconnected along joints, such as the joints 1512, 1514, 1516, 1518. FIG.15E illustrates a first portion 1530 of the nozzle 1522. As noted abovewith respect to the combustion chamber 1520, the first portion 1530 maybe a single piece or connected along one or more circumferential orlongitudinal joints. FIGS. 15F and 15G illustrate a second portion 1532of the nozzle 1522. FIG. 15F includes a nozzle quarter sections 1534. Invarious embodiments, there may be four nozzle quarter sections 1534A,1534B, 1534C, 1534D joined along longitudinal joints, as illustrated inFIG. 15G. Accordingly, the nozzle 1522 may be constructed using thefirst and second nozzle portions 1530, 1532.

The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 15H includes the thrust chamber 1500,1502, 1504 constructed using the combustion chamber 1520, the nozzle1522, and the joint inserts 1524, 1526, 1528. In the illustratedembodiment, the joint inserts 1524, 1526, 1528 enable circumferentialjoints between various sections of the thrust chamber 1500, 1502, 1504.Accordingly, pieces of the thrust chamber 1500, 1502, 1504 may beindividually fabricated, machined, and joined together, rather thanattempting to compile the entirety of the thrust chamber 1500, 1502,1504 at once.

FIG. 16 is a flow chart representing a method 1600 for coupling twosegments together. It should be understood that, for any processdiscussed herein, there can be additional, fewer, or alternative stepsperformed in similar or alternative orders, or in parallel, within thescope of the various embodiments. The method begins by forming segments1602 that may be used to create a three-dimensional form, such as athrust chamber. In various embodiments, the segments may be formed viaan additive manufacturing process, such as three-dimensional printing,and may be of a variety of materials, such as metals, plastics,composites, combinations thereof, and the like. The segments may includejoint faces to facilitate coupling of adjacent segments to one another.In various embodiments, the joint faces may be mirror images of oneanother. However, in other embodiments, the joint faces may not bemirror images, thereby providing an indication as to the order orarrangement of the segments.

In various embodiments, the method further includes aligning segmentsadjacent to one another to form a cavity 1604. For example, the cavitymay be formed due to a particular profile of the joint faces of thesegments. Furthermore, adjacent alignment may include positioning thesegments close enough to connect them, for example, via a weldingprocess. In various embodiments, welding processes may include a gapspace between components, and as a result, adjacent arrangements may notnecessarily include having the segments touching. Furthermore, invarious embodiments, the segments may include internal channels tofacilitate a fluid flow for regenerative cooling. As such, the alignmentof the segments may include aligning both the joint faces and theinternal channels.

In various embodiments, the inner edges of the joint faces are coupledtogether 1606. For example, the inner edges may be welded together orotherwise connected. The connection may be made by extending a tool,such as a welding rod or the like, through the opening formed betweenthe joint faces. After the connection is made, the connection isinspected 1608. For example, if the connection is a weld it may beinspected for quality, as well as for cleanliness of the surroundingsurfaces. If the inspection fails, the connection may be cleaned 1610,or in certain cases repaired/redone. As noted above, the space of thecavity provides sufficient area to evaluate the weld and performadditional processes.

The method further includes installing a joint insert into the cavitybetween the joint faces 1612. For example, the joint insert may belowered into the opening. In various embodiments, a shoulder to the likemay block movement of the joint insert beyond a predetermined location,for example, beyond a location that would impede the annular flowpassage. The joint insert is coupled to the adjacent segments 1614. Forexample, a coupling process such as welding may be utilized to connectthe joint insert to the segments. Additionally, in various embodiments,a split in the joint insert may also be coupled 1616. In variousembodiments, the joint insert is an annular ring having an innerdiameter that is smaller than an outer diameter of the segments. As aresult, the joint insert may be split and then reattached before orafter the joint insert is coupled to the segments. In this manner,multiple segments may be joined together to from various largercomponents.

FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional side view of an embodiment of a thrustchamber 1700 including a bi-directional flow path 1702 formed withinwalls 1704 of at least a portion of the thrust chamber 1700. In theillustrated embodiment, fuel is injected through a fuel inlet 1706,which is arranged proximate a midpoint 1708 of the thrust chamber 1700.It should be appreciated that the fuel inlet 1706 location proximate themidpoint 1708 is for illustrative purposes only, and that in otherembodiments, the fuel inlet 1706 may be positioned at differentpositions along the thrust chamber 1700 and/or at other locationsentirely. The fuel enters and travels along a flow path 1710 thatincludes an outer flow path 1712 and an inner flow path 1714. Theillustrated outer flow path 1712 is radially outward from the inner flowpath 1714. At described above, in various embodiments, flow channels maybe arranged to segment or separate the flow within the outer flow path1712 and the inner flow path 1714. The outer flow path 1712 of FIG. 17extends to a return manifold 1716, which redirects the fluid in theouter flow path 1712 into the inner flow path 1714. For example, thereturn manifold 1716 may include a bend or an open chamber wherepressure will drive the fluid into the flow channels of the inner flowpath 1714.

The illustrated embodiment includes at least a portion of the flow path1710 including bi-directional flow where the outer flow path 1712 isarranged radially outward from the inner flow path 1714 such at fluid inthe outer flow path 1712 flows in a direction substantially opposite thefluid in the inner flow path 1714. This may be referred to ascounter-current flow, which may, under certain conditions, facilitateimproved heat transfer between the fluid paths. Additionally, thecounter-flow heat exchange provides benefits such as minimizing thermalstresses due to uniform or substantially uniform temperature differencesand a more uniform rate of heat transfer along the chamber.

The inner flow path 1714 continues past the outer flow path 1712 and thefuel inlet 1706, in the illustrated embodiment, for injection at aninjector interface 1718. Accordingly, the temperature of the fuel may beincreased due to the heat transfer between the nozzle and the fuel, andadditionally, the walls 1704 may be cooled by the flow of the fluid.

FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional side view of an embodiment of a fuel inlet1800, which may be similar to the fuel inlet 1706 of FIG. 17 . In theillustrated embodiment, the bi-directional flow path 1702 is illustratedwithin the walls 1704 that enables flow in substantially oppositedirections. The fuel inlet 1800 includes the outer flow path 1712, whichmay be separated by a plurality of flow channels 1802, as describedabove, as well as the inner flow path 1714 that also includes the flowchannels 1802.

Regarding the outer flow path 1712, the fuel (e.g., fluid) enters at anopening 1804 and flows through one of the channels 1802. A first jointinsert 1806 is positioned at a radially outward location along an outerwall 1808. Furthermore, the outer flow path 1712 is bound, at leastpartially, by a second joint insert 1810, which is arranged radiallyinward from the first joint inset 1806 to separate the inner flow path1714 from the outer flow path 1712. As described in detail above, thefirst and second joint inserts 1806, 1810 may include similarfunctionality to the coupling system, such as coupling system 600, thatenables welding or other joining methods over one or more cavities(e.g., cavities 624A, 624B) to reduce the likelihood of blow through.For example, the cavities 1812 illustrated in FIG. 18 may be utilized tofacilitate coupling of the first joint insert 1806 and the second jointinsert 1810, as described above. Thereafter, the flow may be directedalong the respective flow paths.

It should be appreciated that, in other embodiments, there may not be aninner flow path and an outer flow path, but instead, different flowpaths will be arranged within the flow channels at the same radialdistance. For example, alternating channels may include flow indifferent directions. As a result, the thickness of the walls may not beincreased (e.g., due to the additional of a radially outward flow path).The return manifold, described above, may include various differentrouting mechanisms to redirect the flow, such as layered flow passagesand the like to maintain separation between flow in a first directionand an opposite second direction.

The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in anillustrative rather than a restrictive sense. It will, however, beevident that various modifications and changes may be made thereuntowithout departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention asset forth in the claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system for joining adjacent segments,comprising: a first segment having a first joint face, the first jointface including a first profile with a first feature extending from thefirst joint face; a second segment having a second joint face, thesecond joint face including a second profile with a second featureextending from the second joint face; and a joint insert having aninsert profile mating with at least a portion of the first profile andat least a portion of the second profile, the joint insert arrangedwithin an opening formed between the first segment and the secondsegment.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first feature is a firstinner edge and the second feature is a second inner edge, furthercomprising: a flow passage formed between the first inner edge, thesecond inner edge, and the joint insert, the flow passage having across-sectional flow area to direct a fluid from first channels formedin the first segment to second channels formed in the second segment. 3.The system of claim 2, wherein the first channels and the secondchannels are formed by dividers extending between an inner wall of thefirst segment and an outer wall of the second segment.
 4. The system ofclaim 1, further comprising: a first chamber forming at least a portionof the first profile, the first chamber being at least partially alignedwith a first mating interface between the joint insert and the firstsegment; and a second chamber forming at least a portion of the secondprofile, the second chamber being at least partially aligned with asecond mating interface between the joint insert and the second segment.5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first segment is secured to thejoint insert via a welding process and the second segment is secured tothe joint insert via the welding process.
 6. The system of claim 1,further comprising: a first shoulder forming at least a portion of thefirst profile; a second shoulder forming at least a portion of thesecond profile; a first extension forming at least a portion of theinsert profile and mating with the first shoulder; and a secondextension forming at least a portion of the insert profile and matingwith the second shoulder, wherein the first shoulder and the secondshoulder restrict movement of the joint insert in at least twodirections.
 7. The system of claim 1, wherein the joint insert isannular, the joint insert including at least two splitting locations,the splitting locations separating the joint insert into at least twojoint insert pieces.
 8. The system of claim 7, wherein the joint insertfurther comprises: a first recess at the first splitting location; and asecond recess at the second splitting location.
 9. The system of claim1, where the first segment and the second segment are annular.
 10. Thesystem of claim 9, wherein the first segment and the second segment format least a portion of a rocket engine.
 11. A method for couplingadjacent segments together, comprising: positioning a first segmentproximate a second segment to form an opening therebetween; coupling afirst inner wall of the first segment to a second inner wall of thesecond segment; positioning a joint insert within the opening, aftercoupling the first inner wall to the second inner wall, to align thejoint insert with a first outer wall of the first segment and a secondouter wall of the second segment; and securing the joint insert directlyto the first outer wall and directly to the second outer wall, the jointinsert forming a space between a bottom of the joint insert and thefirst inner wall and the second inner wall.
 12. The method of claim 11,wherein at least one of an electron beam welding process, a tungsteninert gas welding process, a metal inert gas welding process, an arcwelding process, a shielded metal arc welding process, a flux-cored arcwelding process, a metal inert gas welding process, or a combinationthereof is used to couple the first inner wall to the second inner wall.13. The method of claim 11, wherein positioning the first segmentproximate the second segment further comprises aligning a first flowchannel of the first segment with a second flow channel of the secondsegment.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the space forms a flowpassage fluidly coupling the first flow channel to the second flowchannel.
 15. The method of claim 11, wherein arranging the joint insertwithin the opening further comprises: landing an extension on the jointinsert on a first shoulder of the first segment and second shoulder ofthe second segment.
 16. The method of claim 11, further comprising:forming a first cavity proximate the first segment at least partiallydefined by the joint insert, the first cavity being aligned with a firstmating interface between the first segment and the joint insert; andforming a second cavity proximate the second segment at least partiallydefined by the joint insert, the second cavity being aligned with asecond mating interface between the second segment and the joint insert.17. A system for joining adjacent annular segments, comprising: a firstsegment having a first joint face, the first joint face including afirst profile with a first feature extending from the first joint face;a second segment having a second joint face, the second joint faceincluding a second profile with a second feature extending from thesecond joint face; a joint insert having an insert profile mating withat least a portion of the first profile and at least a portion of thesecond profile, the joint insert arranged within an opening formedbetween the first segment and the second segment; a first chamberforming at least a portion of the first profile, the first chamber beingat least partially aligned with a first mating interface between thejoint insert and the first segment; a second chamber forming at least aportion of the second profile, the second chamber being at leastpartially aligned with a second mating interface between the jointinsert and the second segment; and an annular flow passage at leastpartially defined by the first segment, the second segment, and thejoint insert, wherein a first flow path extends between the firstchamber and the annular flow passage and a second flow path extendsbetween the second chamber and the annular flow passage.
 18. The systemfor joining adjacent annular segments of claim 17, wherein a first flowpassage cross-sectional flow area is defined, at least in part, by aslanted edge of a divider extending into the annular flow passage. 19.The system for joining adjacent annular segments of claim 17, whereinthe first segment is secured to the joint insert via a welding processand the second segment is secured to the joint insert via the weldingprocess.
 20. The system for joining adjacent annular segments of claim17, further comprising: a first shoulder forming at least a portion ofthe first profile; a second shoulder forming at least a portion of thesecond profile; a first extension forming at least a portion of theinsert profile and mating with the first shoulder; and a secondextension forming at least a portion of the insert profile and matingwith the second shoulder.